Keewatin Pilots Happy with New Contract – Ratify with 84%

2 July, 2019

Tuesday 02 July, 2019For Immediate Release

Pilots at Keewatin Air have ratified a new contract with the employer. The vote saw an 84% support from the members of IAM Local Lodge224 in Winnipeg, MB. The 50 pilots who joined the IAM in January 2014, have now grown to sixty-eight.

A slew of improvements to the Collective Bargaining Agreement include, a shorter bonding period, increased mileage remuneration, added clothing allowances (toque, balaclava, winter gloves and mitts as well as an increase in the allowance for safety boots.

The pilots further negotiated increases to their per diems on current duty days (with increases in subsequent years) and, for the first time, a cell phone allowance. First Officers and Captains also received major increases in pay, which also rewards those with more experience and greater flying hours.

Glenn Tomchak, Directing Business Representative of District 181, who negotiated the agreement and oversaw the vote, said that “significant changes to the agreement were implemented for the pilots and brought their wages and benefits more in line with the industry standard. The next contract will see us try to see further enhancements.”

“The crowning glory of the new contract is that all improvements or additions are retroactive to October 2018”, said Tomchak.

The pilots are one of two groups of Keewatin employees to represented by the IAM – twenty-five mechanics and parts personnel joined in 2012.

Keewatin Air serves the Canadian Arctic from its main base in Winnipeg with scheduled service to Sanikiluaq in Hudson Bay, Churchill, Manitoba, Rankin Inlet and Iqaluit, Nunavut. It operates a fleet of PC 12, Beech 1900, Lear and King Air 200 aircraft. Keewatin Air operates aircraft ground support at bases in Churchill, Manitoba, Rankin Inlet and Iqaluit, Nunavut, as well as charter and Air medical services throughout Nunavut, Manitoba and beyond.

The IAM represents more than 18,000 workers in the Canadian Air Transport Sector.